Smash or Pass by Birdie Schae
on May 12, 2026
Pages: 249
Genres: LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Romance
Format: Young Adult
Goodreads

Smash or Pass is a YA realistic fiction novel about a girl named Ellie who’s been feeling like she needs to change who she is to be more palatable for others. Her twin, Noah, has been trying to convince her for years to abandon her “rules”-the guidelines she came up with to figure out how to mask her autism and be popular among her peers-but Ellie was so set on following them that she distanced herself from Noah instead. When her relationship with her boyfriend, Daniel, crashes and burns, Ellie thinks she has to do whatever it takes to get Daniel back over the summer so that no one will see the real her. However, when she attends Smash!, a volleyball camp, she discovers that there are more people than just Noah who like Ellie for who she really is.

This own-voices novel unmasks some of the struggles autistic people face, while also creating dynamic, relatable characters who aren’t any one thing: Schae even has Ellie make the point that if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person. There’s also strong LGBTQIA+ representation with characters who are non-binary, questioning, trans, queer, and even demi-romantic. Schae’s wide representation of mental health and sexuality in these teen characters is a standout feature in this novel and one that makes it a strong addition to any library serving teens in grades 9-12. Patrons who like coming-of-age, realistic fiction, diverse characters, quick reads, and romance will scoop this one up quickly. This was a four-star read for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner